High-tech help improves safety in Mandurah and Dawesville

• WA Police Force given extra resources to curb community-damaging crime like hooning and anti-social behaviour
• $200,000 of covert and automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras purchased for use in the Mandurah Police District
• Delivers on election commitment

A series of covert and automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras are operating in the Mandurah and Dawesville electorates, helping officers crackdown on hoons and other unlawful activity.

The high-tech equipment was funded through a $200,000 WA Labor Government election commitment to enhance public safety.

ANPR technology scans vehicle registration plates, immediately alerting officers in the State Operations Command Centre to vehicles involved in crime.

This enables a rapid response to a range of offences such as burglaries, disqualified or unlicensed drivers, and unregistered or stolen vehicles.

Managed by Mandurah Detectives, covert cameras are regularly utilised by the Rapid High Harm Offender Response Team and local Traffic Enforcement Group.

They are used to monitor hoon hotspots as well as other areas known for anti-social behaviour or criminal activity.

In combination with speed detection equipment, ANPR cameras monitored 174,585 vehicles in the Dawesville and Mandurah region during a two-week period, recording 2,079 travelling above the legal speed limit.

WA Police also charged five drivers with hooning offences during a week-long covert camera operation during the same month.

Comments attributed to Police Minister Paul Papalia:

"State-of-the-art devices, such as covert and automated crime-catching cameras, are a major boost for WA Police, enabling officers to rapidly respond to illegal activity in the community.

"The new equipment gives Police greater ability to target hoons and other criminals who disturb neighbourhoods and endanger law abiding locals.

"The Cook Government continues to help the WA Police Force lead the nation, and the world, in high-tech policing."

Comments attributed to Mandurah MLA David Templeman:

"Hooning in Mandurah and Dawesville has been a long-standing issue for our community and it is being dealt with.

"Local police have been working tirelessly to address the issue and I am proud to be able to support them with high-tech Police equipment to help their fight against hooning.

"I'm proud to deliver this election commitment which will help make Mandurah and surrounding suburbs safer."

Comments attributed to Dawesville MLA Lisa Munday:

"We are committed to addressing locals' concerns about crime in our region.

"The additional covert and ANPR cameras give WA Police greater oversight of illegal activity in our community and they assist with response times for a range of offences for our hardworking police.

"I want to sincerely thank the WA Police Force for the incredible job it does to keep us all safe."